Shoe heel brace and shank stiffener



Feb. 24. 1925.

H. H. ROOSA I SHOE HEEL BRACE AND SHANK STIFFENER Filed Feb. 13, 1920 Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

HERBERT H. ROQSA, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

SHOE HEEL BBACE AND SHANK STIFFENER.

Application filed February 13, 1920, Serial No. 358,452.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, ITI-illlflilt'l H. ROOSA, a citizen of the United St ates, residing at Lincoln, in the countyo 1' Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe llcel Braces and Shank Stitleners: and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to I the'reference numerals marked thereon.-

ening means therefor,

This invention relates to shoes and more particularly to heel bracing and shank stiffone object of the. invention being to provide a simple, efficient and inexpensive means for more firmly securing the heel to the shoe, and bracing it in proper position and for supporting and stiffening the shoe shank.

Another object, is the provision of heel bracing and shank stiffening means which may be easily and quickly applied by'nnadiacent skilled labor, thus increasing the speed of production and decreasing the cost thereof. To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe with parts thereof in section to illustrate the application of the invention thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is. a section substantially on the line 3*-3 of Figure 1.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

This invention, in one embodiment thereof at present preferred, as best illustrating the principles involved, comprises a shoe such, for example, as that indicated in the drawings having an upper portion 5 including a counter 6, an outer sole 7 and a heel 8. The portion of the upper and the counter the heel is turned inwardly, as indicated at 9, and together with the rear edge of the main or outer sole 7 are arranged for attachment to the heel by gluing,

nailing or other suitable means. In some forms of heels, such for example as that illustrated in the drawings, the upper sur face 10 thereof is somewhat hollowed or concave in shape to receive the edges of the upper and to conform to the foot.

The heel bracing and shank stiffening uu'ans proper indicated at 11, as com prising an elongated relatively narrow piece or-strip of material, preferably of an elastic material, such for example as spring metal. This strip is somewhat curved to conform to the curvature of the shank of the shoe, the rear portion over the upper surface 10 of the heel, however, being preferably straight, and having formed therein a slot 12, best illustrated in Figure 2.

The. slot is provided at 13, preferably adjacent one end thereof, with an enlarged portion, the edges of the rest of the. slot being depressed or countersunk as. at, 1.4.- The edges of the slot are countersunk to a greater distance from the body of the strip at the enlarged end of the slot than at the other end thereof. The slot edges are thus inclined relatively to the strip so as to pro duce a wedging action in cooperation with the securing device on the heel hereafter described, for the purpose of securing the heel and insole more firmly together. Fixed in the upper surface of the heel is a securing device, preferably a screw 15, having a headed portion 16 adapted to be passed through the enlarged portion 13 of slot 12 and to engage the countersunk edges of the latter when the strip is slid rearwardly on the heel, thus detachably securing the strip to the latter, as will be more fully explained hereafter.

The "bracing and stiffening strip 11 is preferably provided with additional openings 17 spaced along its length for the purpose of securing thereto the usual or any suitable insole 18 as by means of nails 19 preferably passed through the openings in the strip and clinched in the inner sole. The upper portion, outer sole, and heel having been assembled, and the insole having been secured to the stiffening strip, the latter is engaged with the securing device, or screw 15, of the heel at its portion 13 and then slid rearwardly until the end of the strip is adjacent the counter at the back of the shoe over the rear edge of the heel. The

strip being substantially straight at this portion and the heel seat somewhat concave, the strip is flexed and frictionally engages theheaded portion of the screw so that it tends to remain in its position of adjustment on the heel. The Various parts are then 4 stood that it the countersunk edges thereof to secured in place in the usual manner, a nail 20 being preferably driven through the insole and the strip. 11 at its slot 12 and into the heel to more securely clamp these parts in proper relation.

As is apparent from the above description, the stiffening strip 11 extends entirely across the heel from adjacent the rear edge of the latter to and along the shank of the shoe as far as may be found desirable and thus not only supports and stiffens the shank in an advantageous manner due to its substantial character and to its firm attachment to the heel, but also serves to securely hold and brace the heel in place on the shoe, a feature which is especially important in the case of high heels of any suitable material.

-While the combined brace and stiffener is shown in the present instance in conjunction with onetype of shoe, it isto be underis applicable with advantage to practically all kinds of shoes and heels.

The invention may be readily and quickly applied to shoe construction and by unskilled labor and serves by reason of its convenience to increase the speed of production and decrease the cost thereof as well as to improve the product.

I claim as'my invention 1. The combination with a shoe of a' combined heel brace and shank stiffener comprising a strip of resilient material extending .across the heel of the shoe from adjacent the rear edge thereof and along the shoe sole and provided adjacent the heel with a slot having an enlarged portion, and a securing device attached to said heel and adapted to be passed through the enlarged portion of said slot for engagement with the sides of the latter at another portion thereof for securing the heel to the strip.

2. The combination with a shoe of a flexi ble heel brace and shank stifi'ener comprising an elongated narrow resilient metal strip extending across the heel of the shoe from the rear edge thereof and along the shoe sole, means immovably securing the rear end of said strip to the shoe insole and slidably engageable devices on the strip and the heel seat securing the latter parts together.

3. The combination with a shoe of a combined heel brace and shank stifi'ener comprising a strip of resilient material extending across the heel of the shoe from adjacent the rear edge thereof, said strip being provided adjacent the heel with a slot having countersunk edges and an'enlarged portion at one end, and a securing device attached to said heel having'a head portion passed throughsaid slot and engaged with secure said strip and heel together. i

4. The combination with a shoe of a combined heel brace and shank stiffener com prising a strip of resilient material extending across the heel of the shoe from adjacent the rear edge thereof and along the shoe sole and provided adjacent the heel with a devices on the plate and the top of the heel securing the latter parts together, and an additional securing device fastening the strip to the shoe insole'and heel.

6. The combination with a shoe of a combined heel brace and shank stiffener comprising a strip of resilient material extending across the heel of the shoe from adjacent the rear edge thereof, said strip being provided adjacent the heel with a slot having countersunk edges and an enlarged portion at one end, a securing device attached to said heel having a head portion passed through said slot and engaged with the countersunk edges thereof to secure said strip andheeltogether, and an additional securing device fastening'said strip to the shoe insole and heel.

7. The combination with a shoe of a combined heel brace and shank stifienercom prising a strip of resilient material ext'end ing across the heel of the shoe from adjacent the rear edge thereof, said strip being provided adjacent the heel with a slot enlarged in width at one end and of restricted width at the other. a securing device attached to said heel having a head portion passed through said slot and engaged with the sides of said restricted-end thereof, the material of said strip at the opposite sides of said slot being countersunk to a greater distance from the body of the strip at-said enlarged end of the to receive and grip said securing device to slot than at the other firmly hold said strip and heel together, and.

an additional securing device fastening said strip to the shoe sole and to the heel.

8. The combination with a shoe of a combined heel brace and shank stiffener com prising an elongated narrow strip of resilient material extending across the heel seat and along the shoe insole and cooperating devices on the strip and heel seat, respectively, slidably engageable with each other in a direction inclined to the strip for secur ing the heel t0 the shoe by a wedging action.

7 HERBERT H. RQOSA. 

